Treasure Without A Key
by Abigail Fond
Summary: And he’d tell her time and time again how much he loves her, even after she’d long forgotten him. -For Aerrow and Piper- Short ficlet.


Hey everyone :) This is what staying up at 4:00 am does to me. This is my second SH fic. I hope you enjoy!

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_Remember me when I am gone away,  
Gone far away into the silent land;  
When you can no more hold me by the hand,  
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.  
Remember me when no more day by day  
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:  
Only remember me; you understand  
It will be late to counsel then or pray.  
Yet if you should forget me for a while  
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:  
For if the darkness and corruption leave  
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,  
Better by far you should forget and smile  
Than that you should remember and be sad._

_~Remember by Christina Rosetti ~_

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_-_

_And everyday, Aerrow would do it the same._

_-_

He'd trek his slow but steady way down the cobblestoned paths of Terra Atmosia, heading towards its outskirts and arriving at the building of his desire. The doors were always open for him as his Sky Knight and Storm Hawks honour made him a real ticket. Even in these years, he was still a celebrity.

And while the front doors would always be open for him, he'd prefer to take the dirt path that curved round the left side of the building to the back. It was what he did. No one could tell him otherwise.

He smiled serenely as he walked a steady pace on the dirt that had been unearthed and weathered down by many shoes over the years. In his slow and peaceful motion, he took the time to gaze at how the dirt on the path had made a large enough gap for about two people to walk side-by-side. The grass as its barrier, seemed not daring to pass such an invisible line although a couple sprouts made their patches here and there.

Becoming bored with this observant game, Aerrow turned his head up toward the sky and stared longingly into the clouds that wisped circular patterns. As the sun warmed and shined upon his face, he longed for his skimmer. He wanted to remember that feeling of cold air rushing past his ears, into his hair, and against his face. Twisting and turning the airbourne vehicle through a world of cumulus, cirrus, and stratus. A world where his heart and soul belonged to the sky... and his body, if science and magic could allow it.

But like they say, _what goes up must come down_.

Now he's tied to the earth and the world he left behind leaves his soul along with it. But not his heart… his heart has found a place in another world, _another life_.

Aerrow smiles.

After contemplating on it for a couple more moments, Aerrow realizes that the path he is walking is finished and the dirt makes a transition from earth to cement tiles – little cement steps that climb to the low-ledge platform. With a concentrated look, he climbs them slowly, as he does the rest of this journey – but he doesn't get tired, there's only three.

When he reaches the platform and stares around and smiles at the view before him. Thank goodness for the tall trees - they keep much of the sunlight's glare out of his focus.

The tile-covered platform, connects to the back of the building, connecting with the glass dining area which is seated inside. It is decorated with assorted groups of chairs and tables, three to each little cluster. There are parasols shading few of the tables from the sunlight. The entire outside area which fits about thirty people, only hosts five this day. One of them, as Aerrow can recognize from the bright yellow shirt and young exuberant voice, is a volunteer who has come to spend time with the other two people situated in the chairs across from her. They all appear cheerful and calm, although one of them appears to be drifting off to sleep. Another person he notices, a man probably about his age, is sitting alone on the other side of the platform, looking toward the sky. Aerrow doesn't take him into consideration. Then, he turns his head and smiles widely, seeing just who he is looking for.

Sitting beneath a shady table with her hands clasped together, a woman his age. She appears to be daydreaming as her eyes cast over in a glaze, looking at nothing in particular. Aerrow makes his way toward her. Hearing his footsteps, the woman turns her head in his direction and almost instantly a smile erupts on her face. A gentle, cautious smile… but a smile nonetheless.

"It's you," she says softly but in a happy tone.

Aerrow moves to the seat across from her figure and sits down. It is a bit hard for him to get his footing and he grunts in mild pain as a strain on his lower back comes up. The woman leans forward and puts out her hands toward him in case he needs help. When he settled in comfortably, the pained look on Aerrow's face dissipates and a warm smile is in its place.

"Good afternoon, Piper."

-

_And everyday, Aerrow would do it the same._

_-_

Life as a Storm Hawk had left him great memories, great health, great friends, and an even greater love. So, when the time came for him to put away the armour, give away the skimmer, and hand over the _Condor_ to a younger squadron, he didn't resent it. He accepted that his time as a protector of Atmos had finally been done and in all likeness, he was looking forward to a life of leisure and safety. No more Cyclonians, no more dangerous missions, no more mess to clean up after Finn or Junko… but he knew he would greatly miss that.

All the other members of the _second_-original team of the Storm Hawks were all still alive to his content. Junko and Stork lived biologically longer lives than humans did so the two were doing alright health-wise; Junko with his own wife and kids to look after him and Stork back on Terra Merb living with a close relative. Radarr, to his pleasure, was still a little pest but age was wearing on the little guy and with a litter of grown pups, he didn't go around places with Aerrow like he used to. He preferred sleeping back at home when his own children wouldn't come in to check on him during the day. Finn, with his own family back on Terra Lyn, would always keep in touch. He and Aerrow were best buds and nothing kept them from having a good laugh every few days. Though both men were physically healthier and stronger than most men were this old in age (thanks to their lives as Storm Hawks), Finn suffered arthritis in his hands (years of trigger-finger pulling) and Aerrow had a mild heart condition which he blamed the Dark Ace for after years of dangerous fights and situations of peril. At least the bastard was resting in peace…

…and then there was Piper.

Aerrow's dream, for since as long as he could remember, was for her to wear his wedding ring, like many of their friends had predicted. To his happiness, it was no longer a dream, but reality. His heart burned for her everyday, and seeing what successful and proud children they had conceived over the years made his heart swell for her even more. His oldest, now leader of the new Storm Hawks was the best Sky Knight of the Atmos. Hey, like grandfather, like father, like son. Their others were scattered all over Atmos, each doing a brave and daring occupation like their parents once did. And every once in a while, they'd stop by and say hello to both parents. After a while, it only became Aerrow they would come to greet.

Aerrow had discussed it over with his kids. It was best that they not see their mother as frequently as they did before, and with each son and daughter being understanding and mature of age, they agreed.

Piper's mind began to let go upon entering her sixties. What had started as a mere short-term memory lapse, evolved into great Alzheimer's. The cycle was so repetitive that eventually she couldn't recall who she was, where she was, and who certain people were to her upon a daily basis.

How does one expect to live in such a way?

To Aerrow's heartbreak and his family's despair, it was solemnly decided at best, that she stay in extensive care for the remainder of her life. But Aerrow, no matter who he is or what he does now, did not let her condition stop him from remembering the deep love he had for her. The day she left, he vowed that so long as his body was able to move on its own, he would visit her everyday at the extensive care centre for as long as the hours would allow him. In his old age, without a skimmer, he walked the length from their home on the outskirts of Atmosia to the other side of the populated city to see her.

-

_And everyday, Aerrow would do it the same._

_-_

"…And then, just when we think the _Condor's_ gone for good, Stork honked that tremendous horn and _woosh!_ You see it just rise out of the mist and take down a couple of Cyclonian Talons!"

Piper laughed softly.

"That sounds so exciting! What happens next?" Despite her age, Piper acts like the curious energetic teen she once was. Aerrow chuckled.

"Well, after me and fellas cheered, I saw our navigator flying up near me so I flew to her. I wanted to tell her that I was sorry for being a jerk and making her quit the Storm Hawks and that I missed her, but Ravess appeared and I had to get rid of her."

Piper gasped audibly and clutched her nimble hands together in the peach silken shawl she had around her waist.

"That's terrible!"

"No, don't worry. I didn't get hurt and Finn helped chase her away after dropping a leec-"

"No, that part."

Aerrow blinked his dry eyes twice. "Then what part did you mean?"

"The navigator girl. Did you ever get to tell her your apology? Oohh, why did that Ravess woman have to intervene!" Piper fisted her hands in the shawl as she narrowed her eyelids slightly over her eyes. The orange it possessed had faded to a honey brown over time.

Aerrow watched her, then laughed lightly. He ran a hand through his greying hair. Over time the red had faded into a dark brown and his roots became shadowed.

"Yeah, I did. I asked her to come back because of all the trouble we would get into without her…" he sighed and smiled. "…and because she always loves being right and proving that we can't do anything without her, she agreed to stay."

Piper smirked. "She sounds like a smart girl. I like her."

Aerrow kept on smiling. "Yeah… I was in love with her."

Piper tilted her head with a mischievous look in her wrinkled eyes. "Deeply?"

Aerrow nodded and Piper saw this as a motive to cross her skinny arms over her chest.

"Then why didn't you ever tell her so? You obviously really loved her from all these stories you keep telling me, and yet I've heard no profession of love yet."

Aerrow raised an eyebrow and smirked like he did in his younger years. Piper was still that saucy woman he remembered and bugged so much. He put a hand on the table between them and fisted his hand lightly.

"It's... uh... getting there. Yeah, we'll get to that point. " Piper's eyes brightened.

"So I'll get to know what happens between you and the navigator? Wait, wait, I don't want to ruin it…" she smiled warmly towards Aerrow who gratefully returned it. "…so, how come you've never told me her name yet?"

Aerrow froze all action.

He knew this was coming but he'd hoped it would be that fast already. Doctors reminded Aerrow that any important piece of memory that Piper had forgotten was better left not repeated to her. Remembering now would probably have messed up psychologically. It was best she not be forced old memories and only to be told simple, harmless, _mysterious_ facts to keep her mind stable but not over-thinking.

To Aerrow's discomfort, the only recollection Piper could make each day was that she lived in the building with the rest of the elderly folks and that she had one friend named Aerrow who came to visit her everyday…

...everything else, didn't exist.

Nothing engraved into her heart outside these two facts – there was no children, no Radarr, no, Finn, Junko, Stork, no _Condor_, no Storm Hawks…nothing.

And as much as it broke Aerrow's heart everyday to wake in the morning and not find her beside him or when he'd leave her side at the end of the day, he knew the only way to still give her any piece of her old life back to her was through storytelling… even when she thought the whole story was a great tale she had wished to be apart of, or thought navigator to be some dynamic woman she would hope to meet one day.

Aerrow felt his tear ducts filling up. He swallowed deeply then looked her straight in the eyes, watching each fleck and shine of her pupils.

_Please, let there be something there for you to remember…_

After a moment, he gave up searching her eyes and bent his head. Nothing. Not a spark or familiar twinkle of remembrance coming from her. She had truly forgotten.

"…Sorry Piper. I-I've gotten so old, I-I can't remember her name." A lie so heart-clenching, he was sure if she kept asking that same question a couple more days, he'd have a heart attack.

Piper looked down into her hands and sighed, a little frustrated but mainly out of disappointment.

"That's too bad…"

A couple of moments passed. Aerrow looked back up to her face and smiled sadly. He waited patiently for her to strike up conversation.

Observing her, Aerrow took in the image of his wife. A withered old woman now, she'd shrunk a bit in size and was a bit chubby around the face. Her once beautiful midnight blue hair had turned a misty grey with a few dark highlights brushing through it. Even after all these years, she'd kept the crystal necklace around her slender neck – though she admitted to not remembering where or when she had gotten it, but loved it all the same. Everyday she'd wear a long, different-coloured skirt and short-sleeved blouse with the same peach-coloured shawl wrapped around her middle. Aerrow adored her look and had brought the shawl as a present for her weeks ago. She had never been without it since.

As he continued to watch her, he noticed Piper gaze longingly at the band around her left ring finger. Aerrow had not bothered to (nor did he want to) keep the ring and she had not bothered to take it off, so he thought it was alright.

-

_And everyday, Aerrow would do it the same._

_-_

He would sit patiently in front of her while she would at one point become distracted by the ring and put their conversations on hold. Then, she'd look up and they'd be at it again.

"I always wonder where I got this beautiful ring… and what it symbolizes."

She would say that everyday.

Aerrow continued to smile sadly to her. What is the Alzheimer's so bad that she couldn't even remember a wedding ring when she saw one? This once overbearing achiever with a million thoughts, briliant tactic procedures and crystal notes running through her mind was so much different from the Piper he remembered. At least some of her still remained.

"I know someone gave this to me though… out of some type of affection. It's weird, you know? But I feel that it's true."

Aerrow nodded happily. At least she wouldn't forget that important detail. Then Piper reached up to touch her necklace.

"This one too… it's just as strong." Aerrow watched as his wife closed her eyes in content bliss before heaving a sigh. Then she opened them again and looked to his face with a whimsical smile.

"Sorry friend.. I didn't mean to be so rude to you just now… So what should we do now?"

Aerrow took her hand and went to get up from the seat. Piper followed in suit but placed her hand on his shoulder to balance him as he had more trouble getting up.

"Let's go get some frozen yogurt inside. I'm getting hungry." Piper made a face.

"I hate that stupid ice cream. Do we have to?" She looked at him pleading with faded-orange eyes. Aerrow merely smirked.

"I'll tell you what happened with me and navigator once we're back outside."

Her eyes instantly lit up.

"Oh yes! I want to know so badly!" Aerrow laughed and led her by hand inside the building.

-

_And everyday, Aerrow would do it the same_.

_And he'd tell her time and time again how much he loves her, even after she'd long forgotten him._

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_There you have it. I'm really happy with the way this came out. I'd read a similar like this once before and upon hearing some piano music, this idea popped into my head instantly. Wouldn't they be so cute as old people? :)

Now I've got two hours of sleep to catch up on. So thanks for reading. Don't forget to drop a review :)


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